


Red Wings

by GlowyMimic



Category: Elfquest
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-04 01:44:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13353888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowyMimic/pseuds/GlowyMimic
Summary: A demon hunt goes wrong.





	Red Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Late-ish Wolfrider era.  
> Note: Shadow-Dancer (Sha'Dan) can warp reality to his liking by speaking. If he tells you to start pulling out your hair, you will start pulling your hair out.  
> Takes place in my ‘Shadow-Dancer harasses Gotara's Children’-verse, but I’m not entirely sure it actually happens in it due to timing. So this is an AU of an AU.  
> I was linked to a picture of a Roseate Spoonbill taking flight and ended up writing this_

The demon hunt had failed. One hunter was gone and the rest were trapped.  


<Perhaps he will go away if we ignore him.> Hunter Feren said, frowning and desperately tried to ignore the beat of massive wings that buffered the surrounding trees.  
 

They were currently somewhere deep in the forest, sitting in a little circle, their backs pressed against each other.  
 

A harsh, low cackling noise came from above the tree canopies.  
 

<When has that ever worked?> Hunter Reevu asked sharply.  
 

<Well...> Hunter Hekub started. <There was that one time...>  
 

<Never. The answer you're looking for is 'never'.> Reevu snapped.  
 

<I have done _nothing_ to anger him.> Feren muttered and crossed his arms. <I’m just here to hunt boar.>  
 

More cackling from above could be heard.  
 

<He's laughing at us!> Hekub said angrily, taking an arrow from his quiver. He would have knocked it to his bow, but Reevu jabbed his elbow into his side.  
 

<Fire that arrow and he'll know precisely where we are, idiot.> He snapped.  
 

<What does it matter if _he_ knows?! _They_ already know! We're surrounded!> Hekub snapped back in frustration and pointed to the dark woods that surrounded them.  
 

The forest demons and their wolves were hiding in the shadows, their glowing eyes being the only sign of their presence so far.

   
<The forest demons do not scare me!> Reevu snarled and pointed up to the _thing_ above.  <Sha’Dan does! The forest demons would kill me, but beside that? Nothing! But _him_!? >  He jabbed a finger upwards again. <He doesn’t kill! He could shatter my body and devour half of my soul, but he wouldn’t kill me!>

  
Again cackling could be heard above them.

< _Can’t eat what you don’t have, hunter._ > Sha’Dan chuckled.  
 

<I have a soul!> Hekub yelled and got up, eyes brimming with fury. < I HAVE A SOUL! YOU ARE THE SOULLESS ONE!>  
 

<Get down, you blasted fool!>  Reevu hissed through gritted teeth. <He already snatched Besu and flew off with him to who knows where!>  
 

Hekub ignored him.  
 

<I have a soul!> He continued and took a step forward, eyes fixed on the leafy canopies.

He couldn’t see the whole form of the wicked _thing_ that had descended on Gotara’s Children. Just glimpses of his wings as they moved up and down.  
 

They were oddly...pink in the sunlight.

   
Hekub shook his head and took another arrow from his quiver, knocked it to his bow and pulled the bowstring.

   
<If I shoot him, our demon hunt will be over!> Hekub yelled, taking aim. <The shaman will be pleased! Gotara will smile upo- _ARGH_ ! >  
  
An arrow fired from the dark woods shot through the air and cut Hekub’s bowstring, which hit him in the face.

<D-demon hunt…?> Feren stammered and turned his head to look at Hekub, who was now lying on the ground next to him, hands on his bruised face. <Demon hunt? But…we... _weren’t_... >  


Slowly, he turned to look at Reevu, expression turning livid.

< _You said we were hunting boar_ ! > He hissed at Reevu.  <You _lied_ to me!>

  
Feren looked up at the canopies and caught sight of Sha’Dan’s wings through the gaps.

Sha’Dan was cruel, but he had rules.

Hunt or hurt his kin and you became his prey.

   
Feren stood up, lips drawn into a thin, trembling line. <Sha’Dan!> He called and held his hands up to the sky. <Sha’Dan! Sha’Dan! Hear me!>

   
<Sha’Dan hears, what does Feren have to say?> The one above said, the winds lessening.

   
<I...I was tricked into this hunt, Sha’Dan!> Feren said as a violet bird-eye found him through a gap in the tree canopy.

   
< _What?!_ > Reevu hissed furiously, glaring holes into Feren’s head.

   
<Go on, Feren.>  Sha’Dan said above them. < _Tell me more_. >

   
<I-I’m here to hunt boar!> Feren stammered and shook like a leaf in the wind as the bird eye narrowed at him. <R-R-Reevu! Reevu said it was a boar hunt! He lied to me! Hekub and Besu were in on it! I knew nothing of their plans! I swear!>

   
<You liar!> Reevu exclaimed, eyes bulging at Feren. <You’re lying!>

  
The forest demons were talking to each other now. Somehow their soft voices didn’t drown in the sounds of Sha’Dan’s moving wings.

 ‘ _\- you understand what they’re saying?_ ’  
‘ _That one’s saying he was tricked into hunting us_.’  
‘ _What_?’  
‘He was _tricked_.’  
‘They’re tricking each other into hunting us?’  
‘What kind of dastardly, despicable…’  
‘Why would they _need_ to do that?’  
  
<Is Reevu telling the truth, Feren?> The one above asked. <Are you lying to save yourself?>

   
Feren shook as the bird-eye was now wide open.

   
<Tell me the truth, Feren.> Sha’Dan urged gently, as his magic forced Feren to speak.  
 

<Reevu tricked me into hunting demons.> Feren said steadily, fear leaving his voice and eyes. <I don’t care about demons. I...just want to bring food to my wife and children.>

  
The violet eye stared at him for what seemed like an eternity.

The forest demons spoke among themselves. Judging for themselves.  
Possibly.

‘- a whole day at dreamberry bush if he’s telling the truth.’

‘...what kind of bet is that? You go there anyway?’

‘How about this? If he’s telling the truth, Pike can’t go near a Dreamberry bush for a month.’

‘ _I feel that’s very harsh_ , _Pumpkin.’_ _  
_ _‘Nu-uh.’_

  
Finally, the bird-eye blinked.

< Feren speaks the the truth and was tricked.> Sha’Dan said. <He may go home.>

  
Feren made a whining noise as he fell to his knees while Reevu and Hekub screamed obscenities up at the massive bird above.  


< _And punch the shaman._ > Sha’Dan added with a chuckle.  
 

<W-what?> Feren stammered, blinking rapidly at the odd order.  
 

<You will punch the damn shaman and there will be no consequences for it, Feren. This is _his_ fault, isn’t it? > Sha’Dan asked cheerfully. <He’s making all the hunters focus on _his_ demons. _People are starving because of him and his want for rivers of blood._ >  


<Y...yes.> Feren stammered, tone unsure, but his eyes gained an odd light as he started recalling the Shaman’s insane demands. < He..he is.>  


Taking a deep breath, Feren got up on his feet again. He looked at the surrounding woods, seeing glowing eyes in the dark.  


<Um...Sha’Dan? The forest demons? They surround us.> He said, looking up to see Sha’Dan’s eye was now fixed on Reevu and Hekub.  
 

< _They’ll move for you_. > Sha’Dan said. His voice grew colder with each word as his interest in Feren faded. <They’ll let you pass, unharmed. Now go home and punch the shaman!>  
 

The winds created by Sha’Dan’s wings became harsh again and Feren bolted in the direction of the village. He caught glimpses of two gold haired demonesses as he ran past the tree barrier.  
 

‘Retreat!’ One of the demons yelled. ‘Pull back! Pull back!’   

  
A bird scream split the air.  
  
Feren felt the trees move behind him when their canopies parted violently as Sha’Dan descended on the screaming Reevu and Hekub.


End file.
